The Grand National Festival returns to Aintree

One of the biggest events on Merseyside is back, with tens of thousands of people expected to make their way to Aintree over the next three days.

The Grand National Festival runs from Thursday 11 April to Saturday 13 April, attracting more than 150,000 people to the racecourse, for an event which will be watched by an international television audience of around 800 million people.

The gates open from 11am today, with seven races taking place on each the Opening Day, Ladies Day and the Grand National Day.

Merseyrail have announce that they will run a special timetable throughout the festival, with a seven-and-a-half-minute frequency of service running between Liverpool City Centre and Aintree station before the start and after the finish of the races on each day.

This will be the first year since changes have been made to the showpiece on Saturday, with the aim of improving racehorse welfare.

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, said:

"The Randox Grand National is the most iconic race in the world and one which transcends our sport. It is part of the fabric of British sporting life alongside the likes of Wimbledon, the FA Cup and the Open golf and is loved and watched by millions of people all over the world every year. For many it is also their introduction to horseracing and I believe that a competitive, fair and safe Randox Grand National is one of the best ways of ensuring the sport continues to thrive for generations to come and remains an important part of Britain’s culture and economy.

"That means our sport, like many other sports have done, needs to recognise when action needs to be taken to evolve because the safety and care of horses and jockeys will always be our number one priority. In making these changes at Aintree we are underlining our relentless focus on welfare and our commitment to powering the future of British racing."

Merseyside Police are warning racegoers to expect to undergo a series of security checks including bag searches and badge checks, and are urging people to plan ahead, respect each other and enjoy themselves responsibly.

Superintendent Matthew Moscrop said: “As ever, we are expecting a large number of visitors to Aintree, and it is another prime opportunity to showcase what Merseyside has to offer.

“As with all big events, a considerable amount of planning from all partner organisations has been done in the run up to the three-day festival to ensure everyone who attends has a great time, and that it is memorable for all the right reasons.

“There are a number of plans in place to deal with any incidents that may arise and to prevent any significant or ongoing disruption to spectators and local residents and businesses.

“Anti-social behaviour, hate crime, disorder and other criminal activity will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly. If you see someone acting suspiciously or committing a crime, then please speak to an officer on patrol or contact us directly.

"I would also ask visitors treat the area with respect and to consider local residents who live around the racecourse.

“Visitors can help the organisers and themselves by allowing extra time to get to the course, arriving in good time and limiting the number of bags and other items they bring along. They should also expect to undergo the normal security checks, including bag searches.

“We will be deploying Project Servator officers in uniform and plain-clothes. These officers are specially trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may have criminal intent, such as gathering information that may help them plan or prepare to commit a crime.

“These deployments will appear at any time in and around the area of the racecourse, but the public should not be alarmed by this. Officers will be encouraging racegoers to help us make this a safe and enjoyable event by being our extra eyes and ears and to report anything suspicious to us.”

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• Grand National